Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Sorry, blogger.com, I've been cheating on you with Instagram!

It's true, I have been neglecting my blogging duties because I started using Instagram on my phone. I know, however, that they serve difference purposes, so I can't completely abandon my blog. I didn't bother editing any of these photos, though, since I'll never do my blog if I wait to do that.

After Mexico, we tried to make the best of the rest of the ski season. We registered the boys in Saturday lessons for 5 weeks, so we were up on Mt.Seymour regularly. We're considering a new mountain for next season, though, since Seymour is starting to feel a bit small for us, and Grouse might be easier to get to. We'll see. So, Simon was doing so wonderfully with his lessons and Jeff and I were feeling like proud parents. I would ski with him on the bunny hill while Callum and Max were still in their lessons. On February 20th, he and I were just going to do one more run before going to pick up Max...

We should not have done one more run! On the magic carpet ride up the hill, he had actually just asked me why people fall down and said that he wanted to fall down - well, he did!! I was right behind him when it happened and it really didn't seem like much of a fall, but he was lying face down with his legs twisted, crying. I consoled him for a while, but I quickly figured out that there was no way he was skiing down himself (and I admit I was a bit perturbed that there were no Mt.Seymour staff to offer any help - it's not like Simon wasn't screaming his head off and no one knew he was hurt)! So I skied down the rest of the hill with Simon piggie-backing, holding his skis in one hand and holding his bum up in the other. I got him to the van and took off his boots, and everyone on the ski hill heard about it! He was very unspecific when I asked him where it hurt, pointing to his general right lower leg area, maybe his ankle, so I assumed he sprained his ankle or something - no big deal. He literally screamed the whole drive home (Max had to cover his ears) and for the next couple days, he was extremely fragile - he lived on the couch with as few bathroom trips as possible. Max was home from school sick one day, and it was actually nice for Simon to have someone to play with instead of just parking himself in front of the TV all day.

After a couple days, I thought he was making progress since he started scooting around on his bum and screaming much less. He would not, however, put any weight on it, at all. Finally, after 5 days, I took him to the Lion's Gate ER for an X-Ray.

Not just a hairline fracture, but a decent break. "No, Kelli, your kids are not just big wimps and, yes, Kelli, you win a Bad-Mom award".... Oops!! Well, I'm a quick learner and I didn't wait at all when Max showed signs of Strep Throat before spring break and took him to the Doctor right away (which he actually did have). Before Spring Break, though, Max finished off his soccer season, with some pro-moves.

Callum and Max had been practicing songs for a "Broadway" performance at their school. Unfortunately, Max's strep throat stopped him from participating, but Callum was pretty proud of the show.

During spring break, I had Callum and Max in an "Outrippers" camp through the Rec centre, where they took public transit to do things like skating, art studio visit, laser tag, lynn valley ecology centre, etc. They loved it. Simon was stuck at home in his cast, hanging with me while I worked on designing our house. Jeff managed to get Canucks tickets, so Jeff and I took Max and Callum (while my Mom watched Simon), but as can see, losing to the Winnipeg Jets wasn't thrilling to watch:

My kids never care about what they look like, unless I buy them new clothes.

And the photo below is fuzzy, but I can't help but document moments when my boys are coming up with new ways to play with old toys. Funny how well they play together after I tell them it is time to get ready for bed.

I've been managing to get in several trail Hike/runs and I just found Novan Falls last weekend, which I hadn't even heard of before but is just up Lynn Valley. Nice to still be finding new places (though I have to run further and further to find them, which is probably good for me anyway!)

We've found a bouldering gym called the Hive that the boys seem to like.

For a few days, I managed to pawn off the boys (thanks Samantha and Mom!!) so Jeff and I could get a few ski days at Whistler. Conditions weren't ideal, but we have to take what we can get these days. Dad came for 1 days and we even met up with my brother Todd and his son Noah while they were briefly in town for Easter.

Easter was fun, as the boys are always so keen to do the hunt, and we even decorated some eggs this year.

Easter Monday was a lovely day for a hike to Chief Stawamish, and sine a bunch of my family was coming, I convinced Callum and Max to join us.

The end of March always means busy birthday time, but Max gets most of the attention. He has a party at 4 Cats Art studio, with a few friends from Cleveland school and Ross Road school, plus brothers and cousins. Splatter painting was a crazy mess, but Max had a good time.

Instead of going out for a fancy birthday dinner, Jeff and I opted to enjoy the gorgeous evening and take a long stroll around Vancouver to enjoy the amazing camellia, magnolia and cherry blossoms... and a burrito.

Now it's the middle of April and I am trying (and failing!) to balance the baseball schedule of all 3 boys, their school work, their music (did I mention that Callum is now taking violin and Max taking piano?), and getting work done on our house drawings, along with all the other daily things I am forgetting (like meal planning and laundry and cleaning...)